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My early years were spent at Balderton, near Newark, Nottinghamshire, where I was
born in 1942. I played the piano as soon as I was big enough to climb on the stool or
be helped up by my elder brother, who was a big encouragement. My introduction
to music was through the concerts of the Newark Operatic Society or singing in the
choir with my father at St Giles’ Church. Visits to the Albert Hall in Nottingham with
my mother were a real joy, especially the Nottingham Harmonic Society concerts
conducted by the much loved Herbert Bardgett. When I was fifteen, the vicar of
Newark, the Rev. J. H. D. Grinter, arranged for me to play the organ at neighbouring
Coddington church. This activity kept me going as school was not very enjoyable and
the only thing there I really looked forward to was cricket and thus the opportunity
to travel.
After working on the railway and other jobs, the award of a scholarship to the
Royal Manchester College of Music came as a complete surprise. I had been given
a place but a grant for the year had been refused and I had no funds of my own. At
Manchester my tutors were George Hadjinikos for piano and Thomas Pitfield for
composition. I also took time to play some organ with Ronald Frost who was for years
chorus-master of the Hallé Choir and the finest they have ever had. After a brief return
to my roots, being unable to settle I took up a post in Romford, Essex. Four years
later my wife and I moved to Lincolnshire, first to Long Bennington where our three
children were born and thence to Deeping St James. I was an instrumental teacher
locally and for almost twenty years Director of Music at Bourne Abbey.
My catalogue of works is quite small, only 53 opus numbers to date. Nevertheless
an opera Rutterkin, based on the story of the witches of Belvoir, had very successful
PHILIP SPRATLEY ON HIMSELF AND HIS MUSIC
seting and
work, in ine form at the keyboard.
magniicent
clarity of Briten,
Litle Suite for Flute and Harp
3
productions in Bottesford and later at Kesteven and Grantham Girls’ School. A second
opera, The Three Strangers, is so far unperformed. My most ambitious work is A Choral
Symphony, on poems of the local pastoral poet John Clare, which was premiered by the
Grantham Choral Society conducted by Philip Lank.
Apart from an unperformed violin concerto, the rest of my works are on the short
side including the tone-poems Plough Monday and The Legend of Hugh. Since I am a church
musician there are, inevitably, a number of anthems and organ pieces in my list and
several works for concert band for local students.
But my real passion is for folk-music, closely followed by the music of the Baroque.
In 1971–73 I collected several mumming plays from Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire.1
These are traditional post-Christmas romps which were performed by local ploughboys
and the like. I am co-author with David Occomore of Bushes and Briars: An Anthology of Essex Folk Songs,2 which contains several of the songs we collected there in the 1970s.
My philosophy is simple. Compose only when you really have to. I have a few works
in sketches but they will have to wait until the time is absolutely right. Music is an act of
friendship and one should always have one’s audience and listeners in mind.
Sinfonietta,Op.6
This is one of the few early works of mine I have allowed to survive. Even so, it has had
many revisions and took until 1987 to reach its present form. It waited another eleven
years before it was premiered, by students of the Royal Northern College of Music
conducted by Ronald Frost in St Ann’s, Manchester.
It is in the traditional format of four movements. The first is in sonata form and has
the title Pezzo poco serioso and, although there is no programme, travelling from my home
to Manchester through the Derbyshire hills must have been a factor in its creation. This
same scene is particularly noticeable in the last movement where the clatter of the wheels
1 Published by the English Folk Dance and Song Society, London, 1977.2 Monkswood Press, Loughton, 1979.
P
4
of the train on the old (and, sadly, closed) Midland line can be visualised. The main melody
at the very outset pops up in all different guises and refuses to lie down right throughout
the whole work. The second movement, marked Arioso, is a song-like piece with an
impassioned central section in which the strings are reinforced by the timpani. There
follows a swift and energetic Scherzo with a humorous trio section – after all, scherzo does
mean ‘joke’. After a short slow reflective beginning to the finale, entitled Pezzo meno serioso
there follows another athletic movement in which the timpani play an important role.
There is something of the 1960s ‘shake, rattle and roll’ about this movement, although a
slightly more serious episode occurs in the middle of it. This mood is dispelled and the
work concludes with the main theme of the first movement appearing in augmentation
optimistically and triumphantly.
ClarinetConcertino,Byard’s Leap,Op.27
Near the village of Ancaster in Lincolnshire there are stories of a famous horse called
Byard who did a series of amazing leaps to escape the clutches of the evil old hag Meg.
One version of the story tells of his demise shortly afterwards but another tells of his
living to a ripe old age. The music depicts the second version and the first movement,
which opens with a brief cadenza, evokes a pastoral scene. The scoring is for clarinet and
strings only in this movement, where the horse is in a field close to the church – the day
being Good Friday. The second movement is marked Larghetto e desolato as the lonely and
unwanted Byard wanders towards the edge of the field. The doors and windows of the
church are open and he hears a story of a man unwanted and abandoned by his friends. He
cries out in pain as rumbles of thunder are heard in the distance. Two children in the choir
sneak out to see what the matter is and for a brief moment a miracle occurs and Byard is
able to tell them of his distress. The youngsters promise to look after him and visit him
regularly. The last movement depicts the horse’s joy as he finds new life to prance around
his pasture. In the final section he describes his famous leaps to the two youngsters.
5
RecorderConcertino,A Gallery of Cats,Op.26
Except for a very brief period there have always been cats in my house, including a black
and white stray and one rescued from a barn once used by five-pound-note forgers. This
work (composed in 1982–83, and revised in 2008) depicts a succession of these felines
and their various antics, but listeners are encouraged to form their own pictures of them.
There are seven short movements, all named after old dances: Alla Giga, Alla Pavan,
Corante, Lamentoso (which is for the loss of an aged wild cat who was tamed), Ostinato,
Alla Valse and Rigadoon. Four different recorders – soprano, treble, tenor and in the last
movement sopranino – are used, with an orchestra of strings only.
In Outlaw Country,Op.12b
This work was originally written in 1971 for a large orchestra and lay unperformed for
over thirty years, I came to the conclusion that nothing would be lost if the scoring were
reduced and the whole piece rethought. Two movements were dropped and two new
ones added. The suite is a series of musical paintings of the area where I spent my early
youth. I chose this title because the scenes depicted therein are in the area where Robin
Hood and his merry men operated. Moreover, the rebels in the first movement were at
one time all classed as outlaws although they eventually won the day.
In the first movement, ‘Kirkgate’, the listener is invited to view the scene in Newark
looking towards the majestic west front of the church of St Mary Magdalene. This
beautiful building suffered badly during the Civil War when the town was staunchly
royalist. Just before midday, when the sun goes behind the spire, it briefly shines through
a hole made by a cannonball which went in one side and out the other. The music recalls
the past: the distant trumpet and furious strings depict Prince Rupert’s army preparing
for attack. The siege was relieved after the Prince’s famous charge down Beacon
Hill. But the dream fades quickly and suddenly, and the second movement follows
swiftly – a slow and dreamy walk by the Trent between Fiskerton and Hazleford Ferry
near Bleasby. The mood is quiet throughout and in the distance the Minster clock can
Scholar
acting
many
Munrow’s
playing,
ed
the
Baroque
less
than ive sets of the ‘Brandenburg’ Concertos, but lately he has made numerous four
oland,
has
given the irst performances of over 400 works for the recorder, many of which have regularly
the
having
the
Laureate
1989.
1989
Proms
Japan
al
6
be heard striking 6 o’clock. Four solo cellos introduce the listener to the scene. The
ostinato shifts to different keys in this arch-shaped movement and the music reaches
a high, though restrained, point in the middle. Thereafter the opening returns with
varied harmony and a short coda leads us to the next port of call: Southwell Minster
and its village city. The hustle and bustle of market day is portrayed and the hymn-tune
‘Southwell’ appears in disguise. It was composed by H. S. Irons (1834–1905) who was
organist and choirmaster at St Andrew’s, Nottingham, for 29 years. After a trio section
which portrays a somewhat eccentric clergyman, the scherzo is repeated. The coda uses
part of the Irons hymn again.
The excursion continues to St Mary’s Church, Blidworth, near Mansfield, close to
Newstead Abbey, the ancestral home of Lord Byron. There’s a local tradition where the
male child born nearest to Christmas Day is rocked in a beautifully adorned cradle at
a service of Evensong early in February. The solo cello announces the lullaby, which is
repeated by the violins.
The fifth and final movement is a fast an energetic dance and can be regarded as the
English version of the Italian saltarello. The journey continues to Wellow, near Ollerton,
where a maypole miraculously survives on the village green. After the music has whirled
the listener around, the piece turns full circle to end at Southwell in time for the carillon in
the Minster to play at 12 o’clock noon. Then Irons’ tune is heard in its full glory as sacred
and secular are joined together in a rousing coda.
The Hemlock Stone
7
The
reaches
with
Minster
hymn-tune
as
section
uses
to
the
at
which is
the
Ollerton,
whirled
carillon in
sacred
LindaMerrick has established an international profile as a clarinet soloist, recording
artist and clinician. She specialises in contemporary repertoire, and for the last fifteen
years has been at the forefront of generating new works for her instrument by British
composers, commissioning over 35 solo works for clarinet, including nine new
concertos, and releasing much of this repertoire on CD.
Linda’s catalogue of solo recordings to date includes new concertos for clarinet
and concert band by Malcolm Arnold, Nigel Clarke, Martin Ellerby, Kit Turnbull and
Guy Woolfenden (Polyphonic) and Philip Sparke (Anglo Records), and concertos for
clarinet and orchestra by Edwin Roxburgh (NMC) and John McLeod (Chandos). Her
pioneering work for clarinet and electronics has led to two further CDs, entitled New
York Counterpoint and The Hemlock Stone (both on Classicprint), and her chamber-
music output includes a premiere recording of Wilfred Joseph’s Clarinet Quintet
(Metier), and recordings of chamber works by Malcolm Arnold (Maestro Sound and
Vision) and Martin Ellerby (SRC). A CD of four clarinet quintets by Nigel Clarke,
Martin Ellerby, Edwin Roxburgh and Kit Turnbull with the Navarra String Quartet is
in preparation from Naxos.
Linda has broadcast as a solo artist for BBC Radio 3, Radio France and DRS1
(Switzerland), and performed in America, Australia, the United Arab Emirates and
across the UK and mainland Europe. She is a founder member of the contemporary
ensemble Sounds Positive, with whom she has commissioned and premiered over
seventy works by British composers and released a CD of chamber music by John
Lambert on the NMC label.
Linda is Vice-Principal of the Royal Northern College of Music, where she holds
a professorship and is Director of the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning.
She is also the UK representative for Howarth Clarinets.
8
JohnTurner is one of the leading recorder-players of today. He was Senior Scholar
in Law at Fitzwilliam College, Cambridge, before pursuing a legal career, acting
for many distinguished musicians and musical organisations, alongside his many
musical activities. These included numerous appearances with David Munrow’s
pioneering Early Music Consort of London. He now devotes his time to playing,
writing, reviewing, publishing, composing and generally energising. He has played
and broadcast as recorder soloist with the Academy of St Martin-in-the-Fields, the
Academy of Ancient Music, the English Chamber Orchestra and the English Baroque
Soloists, amongst other leading chamber orchestras. His recordings include no less
than ive sets of the ‘Brandenburg’ Concertos, but lately he has made numerous acclaimed recordings of contemporary repertoire for the recorder, including four
concerto discs. In the last year or two he has played in Germany, Switzerland, Poland,
France, New Zealand, Japan and the USA, and given many broadcast recitals. He has
given the irst performances of over 400 works for the recorder, many of which have now entered the standard repertoire, and his own recorder compositions are regularly
set for festivals and examinations. He was awarded an Honorary Fellowship by the
Royal Northern College of Music in 2002 for his services to British music.
Barry Wordsworth is Music Director of the Royal Ballet Covent Garden, having
reviously held the position from 1990 to 1995. He is also Principal Conductor of the
Brighton Philharmonic Orchestra, and in October 2006 became Conductor Laureate
of the BBC Concert Orchestra, having served as its Principal Conductor since 1989.
From 2005 to 2008 he was Music Director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
Barry Wordsworth made his first televised appearance at the BBC Proms in 1989
and he has conducted the BBC Concert Orchestra regularly in subsequent Proms
seasons. He has also toured extensively with the orchestra, including tours to Japan
and to the United States for their 50th anniversary in 2002.
Highlights in recent seasons have included guest appearances with the Royal
9
y
ut
an
re
does
serioso
role.
although a
the
augmentation
ed
g.
is
t,
d
ay
d
he
e
ir
is
m
d
Concertgebouw Orchestra, Toronto Symphony, Seoul Philharmonic, Guangzhou
Symphony, Rotterdam Philharmonic, New Zealand Symphony and Sydney
Symphony. In the UK, Barry Wordsworth has conducted the Philharmonia, London
Symphony, City of Birmingham Symphony and Royal Philharmonic Orchestras and
the BBC National Orchestra of Wales.
In addition to his symphonic career, Mr Wordsworth has enjoyed a long and
close relationship both the Royal Ballet in London and the Birmingham Royal Ballet.
In recent seasons, he has also conducted productions for the New National Theatre
Tokyo, the Leipzig Ballet, and the ballet of the Opéra National de Paris.
Barry Wordsworth holds honorary doctorates from the University of Brighton
and the University of Central England in Birmingham, and in 2006 he was made an
Honorary Fellow of Trinity College of Music in London.
10
The Three StrangersSymphony
The Legend of Hugh
Bushes and Briars: An Anthology of Essex Folk Songs
Sinfonietta
Recorded: 16 March 2007, Angel Studios, London
Recording Engineer: Gary Thomas
Producer: Philip Lane
ClarinetConcertino;RecorderConcertino;SuiteforHarp,StringsandTrumpet
Recorded: 15 September 2008, St Thomas’ Church, Hillgate, Stockport
Recording Engineer: Richard Scott
Producer: David Ellis
Booklet notes: Philip Spratley
Cover photograph: Bernd Moore, Moore Weddings (www.mooreweddings.co.uk)
Design and lay-out: Paul Brooks, Design & Print, Oxford
The composer gratefully acknowledges grants from the Ida Carroll and the RVW Trusts.
Executive producer: Martin Anderson
TOCC 0088
© 2009, Toccata Classics, London P 2009, Toccata Classics, London
Toccata Classics CDs can be ordered from our distributors around the world, a list of whom can be
found at www.toccataclassics.com. If we have no representation in your country, please contact:
Toccata Classics, 16 Dalkeith Court, Vincent Street, London SW1P 4HH, UK
Tel: +44/0 207 821 5020 Fax: +44/0 207 834 5020 E-mail: [email protected]
as
or
introduction
the
with
concerts
of
neighbouring
and
opportunity
the
en
At
for
ears
return
ears
three
teacher
ertheless
successful
MUSIC OF TODAY ON TOCCATA CLASSICS
these song
cycles […]
burst with his
characteristic
melodic
inventiveness
and vivid word
seting and are beautifully
captured here
by Lesley-Jane
Rogers. Chamber
pieces are also
included, with John McCabe, who has long championed Joubert’s
work, in ine form at the keyboard. Stephen Pritchard, The Observer
TOCC 0045
The three
works on this
enterprising
release […]
reveal a
composer of
integrity and
intelligence.
[…] music of
quality and
genuine staying
power. I’m happy
to report that
performances and
recordings […]
are uniformly
admirable, as is the presentation (Taylor himself provides the
helpful listening notes). Well worth exploring.
Andrew Achenbach, Gramophone
TOCC 0015
Fresh modernist
works like these
did need quite
a bit of audition
from me to get the
full picture, and
I found repeated
listening did bring
its own rewards.
The orchestra
seems to me to
be really very
well prepared,
and there is some
magniicent playing in these
recordings made in the composer’s presence. Sound quality is
superb – the details in the delicately scored parts are crystalline, and
the climaxes are allowed to expand fully.
Peter Joelson, Audiophile Audition TOCC 0087
Just released. The
two song-cycles
on this disc – Cân
y galon (‘Song of
the Heart’), set in
Welsh, on aspects
of love, and
Poésies du soir,
which evoke the
calm of summer
evenings – share
the song-writing
clarity of Briten, whose early
encouragement
galvanised
Walters’ career as a composer. They enclose the buoyant, Celtic-
coloured Litle Suite for Flute and Harp, the expansive Violin Sonata
and the gentle Berceuse for harp. TOCC 0090
Order online at www.toccataclassics.com.
’
‘
‘
’
‘
’
Explore Unknown Music with the Toccata Discovery Club
Since you’re reading this booklet, you’re obviously someone who likes to explore music more
widely than the mainstream offerings of most other labels allow. Toccata Classics was set up
explicitly to release recordings of music – from the Renaissance to the present day – that the
microphones have been ignoring. How often have you heard a piece of music you didn’t know and
wondered why it hadn’t been recorded before? Well, Toccata Classics aims to bring this kind of
neglected treasure to the public waiting for the chance to hear it – from the major musical centres
and from less-well-known cultures in northern and eastern Europe, from all the Americas, and
from further afield: basically, if it’s good music and it hasn’t yet been recorded, Toccata Classics
will be exploring it.
To link label and listener directly we have launched the Toccata Discovery Club, which brings
its members substantial discounts on all Toccata Classics recordings, whether CDs or downloads,
and also on the range of pioneering books on music published by its sister company, Toccata Press.
A modest annual membership fee brings you two free CDs when you join (so you are saving from
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existing releases. Frequent special offers bring further discounts. If you are interested in joining,
please visit the Toccata Classics website at www.toccataclassics.com and click on the ‘Discovery
Club’ tab for more details.
PH
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C0088
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©ToccataClassics,London,2009ToccataClassics,London,2009
TOCCATACLASSICS16DalkeithCourt,VincentStreet,LondonSW1P4HH,UK
Tel:+44/02078215020Fax:+44/02078345020E-mail:[email protected]
ThisCDrevealsa fresh,originaland immediatelyattractivevoice inBritishmusic.PhilipSpratley,borninNottinghamshirein1942,hashisrootsinEnglishfolksongandhiscompositionsarestronglyevocativeofthecountryside–thoughanimatedbyarhythmicvivacityanddrivethatrecallsShostakovich,BrittenandTippett.Spratley’smusicalsoaboundsinmemorablemelodies,andhisabilitytowritetuneswiththeringoffolksongaboutthemrevealshimasatrueheirofHolstandVaughanWilliams.
PHILIPSPRATLEYMusicforStringOrchestra
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LindaMerrick,clarinet–JohnTurner,recorder–TraceyRedfern,trumpet,,EiraLynnJones,harp–
TOCC0088
Sinfonietta, Op. 6 26:30 Pezzo poco serioso 8:28 Arioso 6:38 Scherzo 5:50 Pezzo meno serioso 5:34 Clarinet Concertino, Byard’s Leap, Op. 27 16:16 Cadenza – Andante pastorale 7:57 Larghetto e desolato 4:22 Allegro non troppo 3:57
Recorder Concertino, A Gallery of Cats, Op. 26 13:00 Alla Giga 1:36 Alla Pavan 1:29 Corante 1:35 Lamentoso 2:12 Ostinato 1:33 Alla Valse 1:22 Rigadoon 3:13 Suite, In Outlaw Country, Op. 12b 15:52 Preludio 2:23 Notturno 3:29 Scherzo 3:24 Lullaby 2:49 Finale 3:47
RoyalBalletSinfonia–ManchesterSinfonia–BarryWordsworth–,PhilipSpratley–,conductors
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TOCC0088Inlay.indd1 23/04/200913:20:29